Entrepreneurial spirit inspires student’s clothing line

Entrepreneurial spirit inspires student’s clothing line

Laid-back, easygoing vibes came to life with the colors of a waterfront sunset when SF State freshman Michael Ihle created one of his favorite designs on the back of a T-shirt.

Ihle is a first year business major and Bay Area native from Concord whose idea for a clothing line originated his junior year of high school. What started from a single design soon developed into a brand, he said.

Michael Ihle, an SF State freshman, poses for a portrait at Lands End Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. Ihle created “The Bait Shop”, a beach themed line of clothing and hats. (Brian Churchwell / Xpress)

“I was taking my sister to the Oakland airport and we drove past this Chinese restaurant on the freeway, and it had a fish kite blowing in the wind,” Ihle said. “I saw it and thought, ‘that’s sick.’”

With the image in mind, Ihle took to his computer to create his own design. He said he had no intentions of making clothing from it, but after feeling like the design was missing something, he decided to put a name on it.

“To this day I can’t remember how I came up with it, but I thought, ‘fish, bait shop; cool.’ It works,” Ihle said.

The design eventually transformed into his beach-inspired clothing line “The Bait Shop” which includes four different shirt designs, as well as a line of hats.

He made his first t-shirt design for himself and his siblings, and got positive feedback when he wore it his first day of senior year, he said. Shortly after, Ihle had more shirts made for his closest friends to wear.

“(Ihle) and a few of us wore this design around the school to see the feedback we would receive, and, as we wished, people wanted the shirts too,” said Luke Vergara, one of Ihle’s best friends.

Soon, other students asked Ihle if they could purchase his merchandise. Ihle said hearing people’s honest opinions motivated him to carry out the brand.

“The most rewarding part was just seeing people wearing my stuff,” Ihle said.

Marlito Montes, another one of Ihle’s friends who first wore his shirts, said he thinks people want to wear Ihle’s designs because they’re unique.

“I feel like the reason people like his brand is the style of art and the ideas he puts on the clothing,” Montes said.